NFL Game Capsules - Week 5

Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The wind was taken out of the sails of
FirstEnergy Stadium when the homegrown Brian Hoyer exited early on. Travis
Benjamin made sure to put all the energy back in it. Benjamin returned a
punt 79 yards for a touchdown among his team record 179 punt-return yards in
Cleveland's 37-24 win over the Buffalo Bills, giving the Browns their third
straight triumph and best start in 12 years. So much for needing Trent
Richardson. The former third-string quarterback and native of suburban
Cleveland, Hoyer, who filled in for an injured Brandon Weeden and
engineered back-to-back victories, exited early in the first quarter with a
knee injury. Hoyer was hurt while sliding at the end of a scramble. He
broke free along the right sideline and picked up a first down, but was
hit from behind by Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso and his legs bent awkwardly
underneath him. Weeden missed the previous two tilts with a sprained thumb.
Last year's first-round pick entered initially to a chorus of boos and
finished 13-of-24 for 197 yards and a touchdown. Josh Gordon hauled in four
receptions for 86 yards and a score, while Willis McGahee ran for 72 yards
and a touchdown on 26 rushes for Cleveland (3-2), which last began 3-2 in
2001 when the Browns fizzled out and finished 7-9. T.J. Ward returned an
interception 44 yards for a score with 1:44 left to seal the outcome. The
injury bug bit Buffalo (2-3) as well. Rookie first-round pick EJ Manuel also
left with a knee injury. With the game tied 17-17 midway through the third
quarter and the Bills facing a 3rd-and-8 at the Cleveland 27-yard line,
Manuel eluded pressure and escaped along the left sideline for a 14-yard gain.
He was hit in the right knee by Browns safety Tashaun Gipson as he was going
out of bounds. Manuel immediately clutched at his knee, but walked off the
field under his own power. Fred Jackson plunged in from a yard out for his
second rushing score of the night four plays following Manuel's departure to
give Buffalo a 24-17 cushion, but the Bills were outscored 20-0 the rest of
the way.